Marten Reed
Marten Reed is one of the main characters of Questionable Content. In fact, as the first person to speak in the comic, it could be argued that he is the main character. He is the owner of Pintsize, is Faye's apartment-mate in apartment 22http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=431(or 25http://www.questionablecontent.net/315), and was until recently in a relationship with Dora Bianchi, who was also sharing Marten and Faye's apartment as Marten's roommate. Major events (possible spoilers) Before the comic started, Marten lived in California and moved to Massachusetts to follow his girlfriend Vickyhttp://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=253. For the first several years of Questionable Content, Marten and Faye were constantly the subject of a, "will they-won't they", backdrop, finally ending supposedly-for-good with Faye explaining her emotional issues regarding the suicide of her fatherhttp://www.questionablecontent.net/500, and Marten dating Dora Bianchihttp://www.questionablecontent.net/564, a relationship which lasted until strip 1799. About Marten Marten is an indie rock fan and a musician, playing and collecting guitars. He became the lead guitarist in Deathmøle. Marten lives at 144 Dwight Street, apartment 22http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=965 with Faye, although his best male friend is Steve . Background His parents, who divorced when he was tenhttp://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=433, are Henry Reed, a gay nightclub owner, and Veronica Reed (stage name Veronica Vance), a fetish model and professional dominatrix. Marten has no brothers and no known sisters. Marten was bullied in schoolhttp://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=162 and was anxious enough as a child to require a Worry hat. In high school, Marten was club president of the Dungeons and Dragons club. Religion Marten's religious beliefs have never been mentioned "on screen" but a newspost said "cheerful agnosticism"(Strip 645 newspost). Employment When the comic started, he was working in an office job which he detested and which paid only slightly more than twenty thousand dollars per yearhttp://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=37. He now works at Smith College's Williston Library, with Tai as his boss. Education Marten majored in music history and critical theoryhttp://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=276. Music preferences It is astonishingly hard to find strips about what Marten likes. We know some of the concerts he's attendedhttp://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=332 and that Modest Mouse makes him nostalgic, but on the many occasions when he's talked about bands he's not tended to talk about his tastes. Marten is known to have a Mogwai poster, and on his blog he listed Broken Social Scene as a favorite. He likes David Bowie's Outside or at least admires its depthhttp://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=578, and likes The Flaming Lips. He says he appreciates the work of Sir Mix-a-Lothttp://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=482. He seems to like Society For Creative Rock Anachronismhttp://questionablecontent.net./view.php?comic=1173, and a friend believed he would like an Explosions in the Sky albumhttp://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=479. He, along with Steve and Faye are also fans of the band Dune and often have conversations about their style and taste. Lately, when asked by Faye about his favourite Toto song he revealed it was Rosanna. This seems to conflict with Faye's favourite (Africa) and is completely disregarded by Dora who hates the band with a passion. Personality He is kind and consideratehttp://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1262, but knows when to be snarkyhttp://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=371. He has a very mild, malleable disposition, to the point of often being a pushover. Marten is an underachiever who dreams of a successful band but spends his Saturdays "watching Cartoon Network and moping"http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=11. Memorable quotes *"Hey, that's not fair! The other day I wanted some soup, and there was none in the apartment. What did I do? I went to the friggin' store and got some soup! If that's not taking charge of a situation I don't know what is."http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=610 *"I need to learn some new profanity, 'cause the old standards just aren't cutting it in this situation."http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=212 (nominated by Denyer) *"What the hell ass balls?!"http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=647 *"Quick, placate the other patrons with your rosy cookie gases!"http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=73 *"What's the best way to piss off an indie rock snob? Actually enjoy music."http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=550# *"That may be the greatest non-sequitur in human history"http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1245 *"There needs to be a word for those brief moments of clarity where you realize how profoundly weird your life is."http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1666 *"The hangover is the worst part of Mistake Whiskey, though. Instead of caffeine and aspirin you need distance and perspective and they don't sell those at the drugstore."http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=788 *"...guh?"http://www.questionablecontent.net/4 *"It's not my fault I'm a delicate flower."http://www.questionablecontent.net/1589 *"Mm. Waffles."http://www.questionablecontent.net/510 *"...this will be the most efficient way of blotting out the realization that my computer has a more active love life than me."http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=292 *"Seriously, make sure you get off the train at Orgasm-town. The next five stops are all in Bitter-Recrimination-ville, and that's a really bad neighborhood."http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1701 *"Gah, I can feel your hands through my hoodie! They're freezing! I've fucked corpses warmer than you!"http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=772 *"Who needs flowers and chocolate when you've got Hitler's brain in a jar?"http://questionablecontent.net./view.php?comic=1165 *"I should really just clonk you on the head right now, but somehow it feels uncharitable."http://www.questionablecontent.net/744 *"I make barely twenty thousand dollars a year. I have thousands of dollars in student loans to pay off, and I can barely afford to pay my rent each month and still buy food. I hate my job, but because of this shitty economy, I can't afford to quit and find a job I actually like."http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=37 *"I just spent the night with a hot chick who can quote Poison lyrics at will. I win so hard."http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=606 *"SheFaye's a problem for me like a porch light is a problem for a moth."http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=365# *"Man, I'd be the worst praying mantis ever. 'Oh sure, you can bite my head off without mating with me, I understand. You have ISSUES.' "http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=520 *"You try being used as a human shield by a scimitar-wielding monk and see how your bladder holds up!"http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=696 Blog Marten's blog has not been updated since 2006. History Speculation Marten Reed's Gallery Marten1.gif|Marten Reed from 1-66 marten2.JPG|Marten from Comic 67-79 martenyearbook.JPG|Marten in High School Year book marten3.JPG|Marten from Comic 80-163 marten4.JPG|Marten from Comic 164-185 marten5.JPG|Marten from Comic 186-202 martenhaircut.JPG|Marten after a haircut in Comic 203-220 marten6.JPG|Marten from Comic 221-277 marten7.JPG|Marten from Comic 278- martenhair.JPG|Marten briefly tries out a new haircut, Comic 320 Sources